Free VTNE Practice Questions and Practice Exam
Answer VTNE practice questions written to the AAVSB content outline, read the explanation for every answer, then sit a timed 170-question practice exam in the real format, scored for all ten domains.
170 questions in 3 hours, drawn in the official number per domain, scored on the 150 that count, with a score for every domain and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free drill- 501 original questions with an explanation for every answer
- 11 free drills: one per domain plus a mixed drill
- 150 questions on horses, food animals, birds, exotics and lab animals
A handwritten treatment order reads "Furosemide 2 mg/kg" with no route or frequency, and the veterinarian has just left for a farm call. What should the veterinary technician do?
The VTNE at a glance
The Veterinary Technician National Examination is the credentialing exam for veterinary technicians in the United States and Canada. The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) owns it and sends your score to the state or province where you apply; the jurisdiction, not AAVSB, issues your license, registration or certification.
- Owner
- American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB); delivered by PSI at test centers or by live remote proctoring
- Format
- 170 multiple-choice questions with four options and one correct or best answer: 150 scored and 20 unscored pilot questions that look exactly like the rest
- Time
- 3 hours (180 minutes). You can skip questions, change answers and mark questions for review; the clock keeps running during breaks
- Content
- 10 domains, 55 task area statements and 50 knowledge area statements (content outline approved March 2023)
- Scoring
- Scaled scores from 200 to 800; 425 passes. No penalty for guessing. Pass or fail shows on screen; the score report reaches your AAVSB portal within 3 business days
- Testing windows
- Four a year: February 15 – April 15, May 15 – July 15, August 15 – October 15 and November 15 – January 15
- Fee
- $375 per attempt. One move to the next window costs $90; a manual rescore costs $50
- Retakes
- Reapply and pay again at least 31 days after the previous attempt, up to three times a calendar year and five times in total without AAVSB Board approval
The ten VTNE domains, and a free drill for each
Every VTNE has the same number of scored questions from each domain of the content outline. Each drill is ten questions with an explanation after every answer; create a free account to save your results. Every domain also has its own guide page.
| Domain | Scored items | What it tests | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pharmacy and Pharmacology | 20 (13%) | Drug classes and side effects, preparing and dispensing to the veterinarian’s orders, dose, fluid-rate and CRI calculations, controlled-drug logs, and safe storage and disposal. | 10-question drill |
| 2. Surgical Nursing | 20 (13%) | Surgical suite and patient preparation, sterile and circulating technician roles, instruments, suture and wound closure, cleaning and sterilization, and asepsis. | 10-question drill |
| 3. Dentistry | 10 (7%) | Dental anatomy and the modified Triadan system, dental instruments and equipment, the COHAT (scaling, polishing, charting) and dental radiographs. | 10-question drill |
| 4. Laboratory Procedures | 14 (9%) | Specimen handling and shipping, hematology, urinalysis, parasitology, cytology, microbiology and serology, and laboratory quality control. | 10-question drill |
| 5. Animal Care and Nursing | 30 (20%) | Patient assessment and records, nursing procedures, catheters and bandages, medication routes, specimen collection, behavior, restraint and a safe, sanitary hospital. | 10-question drill |
| 6. Diagnostic Imaging | 9 (6%) | Radiographic positioning and technique, image quality and artifacts, contrast studies and ultrasound, radiation safety and equipment care. | 10-question drill |
| 7. Anesthesia | 20 (13%) | The anesthetic plan, premedication and induction drugs, machines and breathing systems, intubation, and monitoring from induction through recovery. | 10-question drill |
| 8. Emergency Medicine/Critical Care | 10 (7%) | Triage, shock, toxicities, CPR, hemorrhage and fracture first aid, transfusion, fluid resuscitation, oxygen therapy and ongoing evaluation. | 10-question drill |
| 9. Pain Management/Analgesia | 10 (7%) | Pain physiology, recognizing pain with validated scales across species, and carrying out a multimodal analgesic plan. | 10-question drill |
| 10. Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services | 7 (5%) | Client education, professional communication and ethics, taking a history and keeping records, and supporting clients through euthanasia. | 10-question drill |
Ready for the full exam?
170 questions in 3 hours, drawn in the official number per domain, scored on the 150 that count, with a score for every domain and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free drillVTNE testing windows
The VTNE is given in four windows a year. Your application must be complete by the cutoff date to test in that window, and AAVSB’s eligibility review can take up to two weeks once all your documents arrive, so apply early. If you do not pass, you can test again 31 days later, in the same window if you complete a new application before its cutoff.
| Testing window | Completed application cutoff |
|---|---|
| February 15 – April 15 | March 15 |
| May 15 – July 15 | June 15 |
| August 15 – October 15 | September 15 |
| November 15 – January 15 | December 15 |
How to use this VTNE exam prep
- Take the free mixed drill to see where you stand across all ten domains.
- Drill the big domains first: Animal Care and Nursing (30 scored questions), then Pharmacology, Surgical Nursing and Anesthesia (20 each). Together they are 90 of the 150 scored questions.
- Read every explanation, including on the questions you got right; calculation explanations show every step and unit.
- Sit the full 170-question practice exam under the three-hour clock, then drill the two domains with your lowest scores.
- Repeat the full exam a week or two before your window. Each new sitting draws questions you have not seen first.
Common questions
How many questions are on the VTNE?
170 multiple-choice questions, each with four options and one correct or best answer. 150 are scored. The other 20 are pilot questions that AAVSB is testing for future exams; they look exactly like the scored ones, so answer every question as if it counts.
How long is the VTNE?
Three hours (180 minutes) after a short tutorial. A countdown clock is on screen (you can hide it), you can skip questions, change answers and mark questions for review, and the clock keeps running during any break you take.
What is a passing score on the VTNE?
A scaled score of 425 on a scale of 200 to 800. AAVSB converts your number of correct answers to the scaled score so the standard is the same on every exam form, and it does not report scores as a number or percentage correct. Every jurisdiction accepts the scaled score.
What does the VTNE cover?
Ten domains with a fixed number of scored items: Pharmacy and Pharmacology (20), Surgical Nursing (20), Dentistry (10), Laboratory Procedures (14), Animal Care and Nursing (30), Diagnostic Imaging (9), Anesthesia (20), Emergency Medicine/Critical Care (10), Pain Management/Analgesia (10), and Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services (7). Questions cover dogs and cats as well as horses, food animals, birds, exotics and laboratory animals.
When can I take the VTNE?
In one of four testing windows: February 15 – April 15, May 15 – July 15, August 15 – October 15 and November 15 – January 15. The completed-application cutoffs are March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15. Once your eligibility is approved you can choose either of the next two windows.
How much does the VTNE cost?
The application fee is $375, paid by card or with a prepaid VTNE voucher, and it is nonrefundable. You can move your exam to the very next window once for a $90 administrative fee. A manual rescore costs $50 and must be requested within 48 hours of the exam.
How many times can I retake the VTNE?
You reapply and pay the fee for every attempt, wait at least 31 days after the previous one, and take the exam no more than three times in a calendar year. AAVSB allows five attempts; a sixth needs a letter from your jurisdiction and AAVSB Board approval. All Canadian provinces, Indiana, Tennessee and Missouri require board approval after three attempts.
Is this practice exam the same length as the real VTNE?
Yes. The mock exam is 170 four-option questions in three hours: 150 scored questions drawn in the official number per domain (20 pharmacology, 30 animal care and nursing, and so on) plus 20 unscored pilot questions mixed in. You can skip, flag and return to questions as on the real exam, and you get a score for every domain and an explanation for every question.
Ready for exam day?
170 questions in 3 hours, drawn in the official number per domain, scored on the 150 that count, with a score for every domain and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free drillSources
Original practice questions for exam preparation, written to the VTNE content outline approved by the AAVSB Board of Directors in March 2023. Independent practice, not affiliated with or endorsed by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) or PSI. VTNE is a registered trademark of AAVSB. Follow the veterinarian’s orders and your jurisdiction’s rules in practice.